


The Force Unleashed

by etherealdaisy



Category: Adam Driver - Fandom, Daisy Ridley - Fandom, Dark Rey - Fandom, Dark Reylo - Fandom, Rey - Fandom, Reylo - Fandom, Star Wars, ben solo - Fandom, enemies to lovers - Fandom
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:48:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22626601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etherealdaisy/pseuds/etherealdaisy
Summary: Childhood friends Rey Kenobi and Ben Solo always enjoyed training with one another. But when young Rey is prodded by Snoke to turn, things turn disastrous. Rey Kenobi becomes Kira Ren, and Ben Solo becomes a Smuggler with his father, and cutting himself off from the force. It isn’t until the First Order plans you launch their Starkillerbase that the two are reunited.(The Sequel trilogy, but role reversal.)
Relationships: Ben and Rey - Relationship, Childhood friends to rivals, Dark Rey and Jedi Ben, Dark Rey and Smuggler Ben, Dark Reylo - Relationship, Finnpoe, Forbidden romance - Relationship, Friends to enemies - Relationship, GingerRose, Hux and Rose, Kylo Ren and Rey, Rey and Ben - Relationship, Rey and Kylo Ren - Relationship, Reylo, enemies to lovers - Relationship, finn and poe - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 45





	1. Chapter 1

“Can you show me the spin again? But this time slower?”

The crashing waves of Ach-Too echo in the background, as a young Ben Solo stands atop a cliff, his blue lightsaber in hand.

“You need to focus your energy on the blade, if you focus on the handle, you’ll lose the motion. Look, let me show you.”

Ben takes a deep breath, and twirls his lightsaber around his waist. Swinging from behind him to in front, and slashing into the air. 

“I said slower, not more intense!” She says, her annoyance radiating in her tone.

Rey Kenobi stands with her hands on her hips, her grandfather’s lightsaber attached to her hip. The fifteen year old girl had been training with her God-Uncle Luke since they found her on the moons of Mandalore. Rey has always been a secret best kept hidden. From her father being the secret love child of a Jedi and a Duchess, to having him be a secret imperial spy, and then to her, being the secret descendant of the great General Kenobi. The poor girl’s entire life has been a strand of secrets and deception. But not here, it was with Ben and his family where she felt most at home. Rey sadly has no memory of her parents, except for a faint moment in her dreams, where she calls out to them on a sandy planet. But that dream fades into one of her and Ben, laughing and playing, which always becomes a reality. 

“Don’t forget Rey, I’m your senior remember? One day, we will be master and apprentice, and you will have to follow my lead!” The proud sixteen year old Ben states. He always loved to remind Rey of his superiority over her, it made him even more confident in his own abilities, and the possibility of the two of them traveling the galaxy together always made him want to push further into his training. All he wants is for him and Rey to be together, it’s been that way since they were little. 

When Leia and Han took Rey in, their relationship was strained. Ben would feel as if he was being replaced, and Rey would feel as if she was being pitied. But the two found solace in their similarities, and that their paths have always been destined to cross. When Leia discovered Rey’s force sensitivity, it was then that she decided to send them both to study with Luke. But something troubled Leia, something she didn’t want to admit… 

——

“I sense something in him Luke. The same way I could sense Vader when we were younger. I’m afraid, if you train him, that he may fall to the dark.”

Luke takes his sisters hand. “You’ve raised a wonderful boy Leia, he’s understanding, and gentle, and kind. You have nothing to worry about. If anything, you should have something to look forward to….

It’s the girl I’m worried about.”

Leia tilts her head, confused. “What do you mean? Rey is a sweetheart. We’ve raised her as if she were our own.”

Luke nods. “Yes, and I’m sure she’s grateful for that, but it could create tension between them. I sense a disturbance in the force at the idea of her training.”

“If you can train Ben, you can train Rey…. I have faith in you Luke, I always have.”

——

The students all sit in a circle on Ach-Too, with Master Luke standing in the middle. 

“The weapon of a Jedi is something sacred. Being the senior class. You have all had the honor of crafting your own sabers. Now you will face the final test in your journey to becoming Jedi Knights.”

The teens all whisper in excitement amongst themselves. This is the ultimate test, the one thing they’ve spent the majority of their young lives working towards. For Ben and Rey, they knew success was in their future. They were the top of their class. They were the firsts to be able to call out to the force to lift objects, they’ve studied the ancient texts and can recite the Jedi code by heart, they’ve mastered their lightsaber techniques. The two were a force to be reckoned with. To some of their classmates, it seemed as if they were two that were one. 

Ben leans over and whispers in Rey’s ear. “This will be a piece of cake, we’ll get our robes in no time.”

Rey giggles, covering her mouth with her hands, a slight blush rising in her cheeks. “I wonder who we’ll get paired up with. I bet I’ll get Lex. Since were the only women in our class.”

Ben scoffs. “You’re not a woman, you’re a girl Rey.”

She gasps and jabs him in the ribs with her elbow. “I’m more of a woman than you are a man. What is this? Facial hair? It looks more like a freshly shaven Wookiee’s skin to me!”

Luke ignites his lightsaber, and a silencer falls over the group. “If you’ll all stop talking. I can announce the pairs…”

Ben’s cheeks flush, and he immediately fixes his posture, composing himself. “Sorry Uncle. It won’t happen again.”

Luke cracks a smile, and turns to the group.  
“Once your pair is called, find a spot in the temple to prepare, we will all regroup before sunset. The pairings are… 

Trudgen and Arevan

Sharabi and Trodena…”

Rey notices her heart begin to pound in her chest. At this rate, she’ll either get paired with the worst in the class, or her best friend. 

“... Lex and Dantri…”

Ben and Rey both turn to look at each other, eyes wide with realization.

“... and finally, Ben and Rey. You have till sunset to prepare yourselves. Then your final test begins. Good luck and may the force be with you.”

—

The rain begins to pour on the island, as if the planet itself was in mourning for the events about to occur. 

Rey stands in her hut, her blade in hand, as she practices her twirls in solace. The hilt of her saber spinning around in her hand, as she finds her rhythm. There are many benefits to getting paired with the… less experienced members of her class. But Rey had a fear inside of her when it came to Ben and ever having to duel him. In her defense, he was Master Luke’s nephew, arguably the best in the class, Grandson of The Chosen One, Son of the Princess of Alderaan. Ben was a symbol of hope and a promise to the galaxy, all the while Rey was a lock box with the key being thrown into the lava pools of Mustafar. 

Master Snoke was always helpful in calming her down though. Always reassuring her of her power, her abilities, her place in the Temple and in the galaxy. Whenever she would get down on herself, or feel self-conscious, it would seem as if he would speak to her in a whisper. 

“Be strong Rey, remember where your power lies. Ben is skillful, but not as cunning as you are.”

—

The other students duel’s seemed like child’s play to the two. Their swings being off centered, their parry’s not level. They knew that they were advanced, but they never figured by this much. 

“Ben… Rey… you’re last. Take your places.”

They silently rise from their seat, and stand across from one another, Ben holds the hilt of his lightsaber over his face, and Rey notices he’s holding his grandfather’s saber. It was his good luck charm, a symbol of his family's legacy, and it brought him peace. Meanwhile Rey follows suit and lifts her lightsaber up, revealing her grandfather’s lightsaber. But for her, it was a symbol of promise, that she can take up the mantle her grandfather once did, and perhaps one day be as strong as him. 

They ignite their blades simultaneously, and bow to each other. 

“Good luck Padawan Rey, you’re gonna need it.” Ben pesters. But his usual playful manner strikes Rey in a way she was unfamiliar. In this moment, of all moments, was not a time for jokes, and his impertinence caused her body to grow hot, and unease to wash over her. She silently nods her head, and takes her defensive position. 

Ben is the first to strike, swinging his blade from behind his head downward upon her. But Rey quickly parry’s his strike, and pushes him off of her.  
Gritting her teeth, she slashes at his torso, perfectly using his signature twirl against him. But him sensing her intentions, took the perfect step to throw her off balance, and he shoves her from behind, causing her to fall onto her face in the dirt. 

“A strike for Rey.” Luke announces, and the two both take their second positions. Rey wiping the dirt off her trousers, she can feel the anger slowly starting to ignite her spirit. 

“Use it.” Snoke says to her. “You cannot win if you do not allow yourself the opportunity to feel the force. Take ownership of the anger and turn it into control.”

Rey takes a deep breath, and closes her eyes, allowing the anger to travel throughout her. 

“Sorry about that sunshine. But you shouldn’t have used a move I taught you against me. Not smart!” Ben teases for a second time, hoping to get a good response back. But all he gets is her piercing eyes staring into his own, and a look of dedication upon her gaze.

“Begin!” Luke announces, and this time, it’s Rey who attacks first, leaping into the air and sending a powerful attack towards his head. But Ben quickly raises his saber and blocks it. 

“Woah!” Ben says, shocked. “Where did you learn that?”

Rey stays silent, as she spins her saber around her, and lets out a scream of rage. The blows become more powerful, and the quickness of each strike increases each time. It was then Ben realized she had been holding back during their previous practices. 

“Rey, this isn’t that serious! Calm down!” Ben laughs. 

‘This was a joke to him.’ Rey thought to herself.

Snoke senses her frustration, and gives the final words to push Rey to pass the point of no return. “Then make it his last.” 

Rey flips over him, and as soon as he turns to face her, she slashes him over his eye. The rage releasing itself onto his now fresh wound. 

Luke quickly jumps in, and disarms Rey, pulling the lightsaber from her grasp with the force. 

“REY! What has gotten into you?” Luke asks. 

The realization as to what she has just done strikes Rey to her core. That is her best friend, she just hurt her best friend. 

“I… I didn’t mean to! He was pestering me and it made me angry!” She attempts to explain.

“So you give into the anger?! To make things worse, you gave in and severely injured one of your classmates! Go to your hut and cool off. We will talk about this after you’ve gotten over yourself.”

Tears begin to fill in young Rey’s eyes, as she meets Ben’s tearful gaze. Was he crying because of the pain? Or because his best friend had just left him scarred? 

“I’m sorry Ben… I’m so sorry.”

And with that, she takes off into a dead sprint to her hut. 

——

A few hours later, Rey hears a soft knock on her door. 

“Enter.” She responds, and the door opens to reveal some of her classmates.

“Hey, we just wanted to make sure you were alright.” Sharabi says, taking a seat next to Rey on her mat. 

“Yeah,” Lex says, “It wasn’t cool how Luke just yelled at you like that in front of everyone, and how Ben was acting during your duel. It was really childish of him.”

“You have allies Rey… use this to your advantage.” Snoke prods.

“Yes. It was quite maddening, which is why I did what I did. But can you really blame me? He was being so rude! That was our final test and he seemed like it was just a morning warm up!” Rey exclaims.

“It’s as if, he thinks since he’s Master Luke’s nephew, that he gets special treatment, that he’s better than us.” Lex says. 

“She’s right Rey… Ben believes himself to be more powerful than you. That you will be his apprentice. But you are so much more.” Snoke adds.

Rey’s wheels begin to turn, and the fear of him surpassing her causes her blood to run red hot.

“That feeling is what helped you to defeat him in your duel. That feeling, that anger, I can help you harness it young Rey. I can help you become more powerful than Ben Solo, Luke Skywalker, even your own grandfather. 

Be the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi would want you to be.” Snoke says.

Rey turns to her classmates. “You know, you’re right. But it isn’t just Ben. Master Luke, the other’s, they see us as less than them. That we are the very insects beneath their boots. I think it’s time we show them just how powerful we truly are. Don’t you agree?” Rey asks.

The two students look at each other, a wicked smile on their face. “What do you have in mind?”

“Sleep tonight, because tomorrow we will show everyone in this temple just how strong we really are.” 

—

That night, young Rey sat meditating, her thoughts racing in her mind. True, she had always had feelings of jealousy and envy towards Ben when they were much younger. But with their friendship, those feelings seemed to fade away. But as they got older, Ben’s dedication and ambition grew with him, and his shadow was one that Rey found quite cold. 

“These feelings Rey, I can help you make sure you never feel them again.” Snoke says to her. 

“But how? I try and try to beat him but I fail every time.” 

“Not every time my child. Once you gave into that anger, that rage, it fueled your power into a force to be reckoned with.” 

“I don’t understand Master Snoke… what are you saying?”

“Your whole life, you have been but a pet to the Skywalker bloodline. They take you in, make you be their son’s plaything, and reward you in what? Residency? To them you are not a person, you are merely a set of steps for their precious Ben Solo to climb to glory. But if you join me, you will be so much more. You will be an unstoppable force. Heir apparent to your grandfather and more. 

Rey… did they ever tell you what happened to your grandfather?”

“They told me he joined the force during the Rebellion, but that he went peacefully. That is all I was told. Why?”

She can sense Snoke sigh, as if in pity. “Oh you poor child… 

Your grandfather was killed by Anakin Skywalker.”

Rey’s eyes grow wide, and her breaths get heavy. Why would they hide this from her? Did they think she wouldn’t believe them? That she would blame them? Or that she would grow to hate them? All Rey knew in that moment, was that the emotions she has felt her entire life, she didn’t have to feel them anymore.  
Snoke gave her promise, potential, and that offer was too good to pass up. 

From this moment on, Rey had one goal. 

To make the Skywalker bloodline pay. 

—

Ben snapped out of his sleep to the sound of screaming. The disturbance in the force radiating through him in intense waves. He jumps out of his bed and opens his door to come face to face with engulfing flames everywhere. The younglings all sprinting for cover into the temple, only to have it explode into a fiery rage. He notices his Uncle on his knees off in the distance, R2 by his side. His feet carry him into a sprint, and he catches his breath at Luke’s side.

“What is going on? What’s happening?!” Ben asks. 

“I failed kid… I failed us all.” He raises his metal hand and rests it on top of R2.

“What do you mean?” Ben asks. “I can sense a strong disturbance in the force. Something must have happened.”

“Rey, she’s gone Ben. She took a handful of students and set the temple ablaze. She even tried to kill me.”

Ben’s eyes grow wide. Rey couldn’t do this. This wasn’t like her at all. She was his sunshine, his best friend. How could she stray so far? Ben could feel his heart begin to shatter inside of him at the loss of his classmates, their pain and agony pulsing through the force into his soul. Rey caused all of this pain, was it possible she was feeling this same pain? 

“I failed Obi-Wan… I failed you… I’m sorry Ben. Go home kid.” Luke says. 

——

Ten Years Later 

“Hey Ben! Did you rewrite the calcinator’s?” 

Ben runs to the back of the ship, his electrical equipment strapped to his hip. 

“I got it Dad! I don’t know why you don’t just let me pilot! You gotta know your eyesight isn’t as good with old age.” 

He can hear Chewie’s faint rawrgh from the cockpit, and Ben lets out a soft chuckle. “You tell him Chewie!”

“Hey!” Han scoffs, offended. “I got my son and my best pal over here cracking jokes on me now? You know I can drop you both off on the Dune Sea if I want to.” 

Ben quickly jumps into the engine room, and begins going to work. “I don’t understand why you would make a deal with a Jakku scrapper for! Now we have First Order troopers AND Bounty Hunter’s after us! Not to mention Kanja Club!”

“RAWRGHGG!” Chewie exclaims, waiving a fist in the air.

“Hey you shut it fuzzball! I got us a good bunch of credits! We’re one step closer to getting the Falcon back.” Han replies. 

Suddenly, the sensors on the ship begin to go off, and radar alarms sound off in a chorus. 

“We’ve got First Order fighter’s on our tail! Get ready to punch it Chewie!” Han yells. “Ben! Are we ready?”

A greasy Ben Solo arrives in the cockpit, dirt and machine oil on his face. 

“Punch it.”

And with that, they were off and out of the First Order’s grasp. 

—

“UGH! How could you let them get away?! They were on an aircraft from the OLD REPUBLIC!” 

The First Order Lieutenant begins to sweat in fear.  
“My apologies General Tico. But it appears they were aided by Resistance allies. Which is where they got the advancements in their hyperspace tech. We will double our eff-“ 

The Lieutenant begins to gasp for air, choking. 

Kira Ren, leader of the Knights of Ren, emerges into the hangar deck, and the room grows dead silent. 

“You’re impertinence irritates me Lieutenant. Perhaps I should replace you with someone else who can properly fill your position?” Kira says, her voice muffled by her mask. 

“No my Lady. I shall redeem myself if you allow me the opportunity!” The Lieutenant begs. 

“Oh how charming! I do love it when they beg.” Kira coos. 

She ignites her double bladed saber, and stabs the Lieutenant in the chest, smirking beneath her mask. 

“Now General, it appears as though you need a new Lieutenant. My apologies for the mess.” 

General Tico sighs. “I do hate when you make such a mockery of me in front of my squadron. It was one simple freighter. It was not General Organa herself. Do not let your emotions cloud your mind.” 

Kira raises her hand, pointing in General Tico’s face. “I don’t recall you being the Supreme Leader? I only take orders from Snoke… not you.”

She turns to face the emptiness of space. “Now, get me that map to Luke Skywalker.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kira Ren makes a discovery on the whereabouts of two Resistance allies, as well as a discovery on Luke Skywalker’s whereabouts.

It has been ten years since Ben Solo has used the force. You could call it remorse, anger, regret, but deep down Ben knew it was heartache. Seeing the things Rey had done destroyed his spirit in a way he had never felt before. There was a reason Ben had always called Rey sunshine. He always told Rey it was because ‘You always blind me with your terrible saber spinning, and the horror of watching you try blinds me like a ray of sunshine.’ But Ben secretly always saw himself as the flowers of Naboo, who needed her sunshine to survive, her smile to survive, her presence to flourish. But when her sunshine turned to thundering storms, Ben decided that there was no need to hold onto the force anymore. It had destroyed his family in the past, and now it destroyed his best friend, and although he would never admit it, his first love…

After the Temple incident. Luke and Ben both went their separate ways. Ben returned home to join his father as a smuggler, while Luke went into personal exile. The loss of Rey weighed so heavily on them both that any memory of her or their time at the temple had to be buried in the depths of their memory. Han loved having his son around of course, but a part of him knew that this wasn’t what he wanted out of life. Yet Ben had the same stubbornness as the General herself, so he knew it would be best to keep his mouth shut.

They’ve spent the past ten years traveling the outer rim, smuggling goods to resistance cells, providing weapons and ammunition to those who needed it. All while still chasing out the countless amounts of bounties on the great Han Solo’s head. Besides, the constant action and motion kept Ben’s mind off his demons and his regrets. 

Now his counterpart has made quite the name for herself. Kira Ren, leader of The Knights of Ren, the fearsome Commander of The First Order. Trained by Supreme Leader Snoke into the most ferocious warriors in the galaxy. From the moment she let that hate corrupt her heart in the temple, she has let that anger and pain drive her to success and glory in the ranks of The First Order. However her succession and determination could not hide her from her waking nightmares. 

The sounds of screams… 

The raging fires… 

The look on his face from a far right as the explosion takes him under. 

Every day since they’ve parted, has been moments of agony. There are moments where she will reach out through the force to find him, but feels nothing. The guilt of murdering her best friend split her soul, and Snoke knew this… Using her guilt and emotions to further gain control. Kira Ren became his most prized possession, and Kira Ren became a symbol of power to the galaxy. But according to Snoke, there was still something holding her back from her full potential. 

—

“Skywalker lives… and you stand here and claim yourself to be finished in your training.” Snoke snarls down at her. His long fingernails clawing at the sides of his throne. It’s eerie noise sending a chill down Kira Ren’s spine, her skin to crawl.

“I did as you asked all those years ago. No one but the Knights of Ren and I survived. You dare doubt me and my abilities?” The words flow from her lips as soft and smooth as a melody, yet as intense and violent as her raging lightsaber staff. 

Snoke sends a jolt of lightning to her, and it sends her flying backwards.

“You DARE TO DEFY ME?! The one who gave you PURPOSE. The one who gave you STRENGTH. SKYWALKER LIVES, and you shall bring him to me, with his head on a silver tray…. only then will you have repaid your debt to me child.”

—

It became Kira Ren’s sole purpose to find Luke Skywalker. Their latest advancement was a small piece of a map given to resistance allies, and the last place they’ve traced it to was the dusty planet of Jakku. 

“Prepare the squadron to land on Jakku.” Kira says as she enters the hangar deck. General Tico stands out looking at the galaxy, her mind shrouded by her advancements on The Starkiller base. 

“The resistance pilot Finn Calrissian and resistance warrior Jannah Calrissian are already on the planet with a BB unit, carrying the map to Luke Skywalker.” General Tico turns to face Kira. “Do you think you might finally succeed Commander Ren?”

Kira flashes a wicked grin, however hidden beneath her mechanical mask. “Do you think you may finally complete your base? Or have you found yet another flaw in your impeccable creation?” 

Tico smirks, placing a hand on Kira’s shoulder. “My trigger finger burns with the heat of a thousand suns Kira Ren… don’t tempt me.” she says, patting the blaster attached to her hip. “No matter how much I value our partnership, I’m sure there are countless other Dark Force users to replace you.” 

Kira ignites the top half of her saber staff, and slices her blaster in half faster than Rose could blink.

“You were saying General?”

Their playful banter is interrupted by the sound of the comms units becoming active. 

“Commander Ren, we have taken the resistance fugitives into custody, however the BB unit has escaped. There are resistance allies in the area as well. Would you like to make your approach?” 

Kira nods, and with that, journey’s to her ship, Phasma at her side. “My Lady, the troopers have already arrived on the planet. We have a full squadron surrounding the camp and are awaiting your command.” 

“Perfect.” Kira says. “This will be such a wonderful evening…” 

—

They doors of her ship open and she comes face to face with a remnant of her past. Standing before her, was none other than the rebel member who found her on Mandalore’s moon all of those years ago. 

But the emotions of seeing such a face did not shake her, and she did not falter. 

“Kira Ren… when I last saw you, you went by a different name.” The man said. 

“Kira Ren has always been my name. Who are you to tell me otherwise?” the silver tongued Commander gracefully replies. 

“Someone who knew you before all of this. Before Snoke turned you into his lap dog. Someone who cares.” 

“You’re old age has made you less knowledgeable. Your memory fails you.”

“But your memory does not. You can not deny the truth that is your family.” 

“You know… you’re so right.” She says, and with that, raises her staff above her head, ignites it, and slices the man in half. 

The rebel pilot Fin jumps to his feet, rage and sadness radiating upon his face.

“NO!” He cries, as he grabs a blaster from one of the troopers and fires it at Kira. Only to have her not only catch the blaster bolt mid air, but freeze the rebel dead in his tracks. Troopers rush to him and grab him on both sides, his twin sister being dragged behind him. 

Kira motions for the troopers to bring him over to her, and she stares into his eyes as if she’s searching for something. 

“So… who talks first. Do you talk first or do I talk first? Or it is like a-“ Kira raises her hand and seals his lips shut with the force. 

“He’s seen the map to Skywalker, bring him into my ship. Leave the other one.”

“Shall we execute them all madam?” Phasma asks. 

“No, let this be an example.” She says, and heads back to her ship with her newest companion. 

General Tico however, having her own agenda, gives her own order to Phasma. 

“Execute them all.”

The troopers begin to set the town ablaze, blasters were fired, screams were ringing. But one trooper stood frozen still in fear. PO-2187, a new line of troopers raised from birth, said to be the new leading force of Snoke’s grand army. But for this trooper, his training failed him, and he ran for cover, hoping not to be seen. However, he witnessed the death and destruction The First Order could inflict, and it frightened him. Is this what he wanted? To hurt and to destroy lives? Luckily, his heart was never turned in his training, and he made a vow to never again do anything to help the First Order, no matter what the cost. 

—

Finn sits in the interrogation room, streams of sweat trickling upon his brow and down his face. The resistance provided training for situations like these, and being the hot shot over achiever that he is, he liked to make sure he aced every course and every exercise. So this? This would be easy. 

At least, that’s what he thought, until Kira Ren herself walks into the room. Just her presence alone turned his sweat to ice, made his lungs cease to function, and his heart to pound in fear. 

“You’ve seen the map to Skywalker, you had it right in your hands and you gave it to a droid.” Kira circles her prey ever so slowly, asserting her dominance over him, doing whatever she can to make him crumble in her hand. “To think, here sits the best pilot in the Resistance, and yet he couldn’t escape a few simple TIE Fighters, makes you wonder… Perhaps we have the wrong man?” 

“You know, you can do whatever you want. But you’re not getting anything out of me. See up here?” Finn tilts his head up, gesturing to his brain. “This thing is a vault, locked up and sealed.”

Kira takes a finger, and wipes a stream of sweat off his brow, and flicks it into his eye. “We‘ll, see…”

With her hand gently hovering over his face, she calls upon the force to reach into his mind, as she searches for the information she needs. The further she searched, the louder his screams, but her dedication to getting her answer blinded her from the pain she was inflicting. Luckily, after a few moments later, she found the answers she needed. 

“Thank you Finn, your assistance will be noted. Now rest up. That must have been quite tiring.”

She leaves the room, and turns to her Lieutenant.   
“The droid is still on Jakku. Send a team to the planet and find that droid. I want it all in one piece.”


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben gets his first solo mission from Han. Meanwhile Trooper PO-2187 begins a new journey.

“If you follow your thoughts to a conclusion… it will lead you to the right answer.” 

“Exactly, which is why I’m the fastest runner.”

Rey tilts her head back laughing, and almost falls backwards if Ben hadn’t caught her. 

“Can you believe, this is the only place I exist now? Only in your dreams?”

Ben sighs, his hands still holding onto her arms, keeping her stable. “You never told me why you did it. Why you set the temple on fire.”

“And I never will. At least not here…” she takes her hand, and tilts his head up so that he’s forced to look into her eyes. 

“Ben… you know this isn’t real. I am only a distant memory.”

“I know.” He says. “But can we just stay here? Just for a moment?” 

“Of course, as long as your connection to the force remains, we can stay here as long as you’d like, or until you wake.” Rey takes his hands in her own. 

“RAWRGHHH.” 

Ben stares at her confused. “What?”

“BEN! How long are you gonna sleep for?”

Our hero shoots awake, sweat covering his whole body as if a bucket of water was poured over his head. Luckily the beads of sweat camouflaged the streams of tears that arrive every morning when he has his dreams of Rey. Cutting himself off from the force saved him the pain of her loss, of Luke’s regret, his mother’s longing. Instead of being a part of the universe, he decided to stay secluded in this rust pile of a starship.   
Ben quickly throws on his father’s old clothes, the signature tan undershirt with its navy blue vest. If he was going to be a smuggler with his father, he might as well represent the Solo brand. 

He finds his father sitting in the ship’s recreation area, he and Chewie were engaged in a holo game at the table. Of course Chewie was succeeding as he always does. 

“You cheating pile of bantha fur!” 

“RAWRGHH RAWGH.” 

“Oh can it… Hey! There you are kid. I’ve got a special surprise for you!”

Ben sighs, rolling his eyes. “Let me guess, I’m on cleaning duty again.” He walks over to the holotable, and moves one of Han’s figures, putting him in an advancing position. 

“See, that’s why I keep you around. Well, that, and you’re my son who I love and all that other stuff.”  
Han stands and pats his boy on the shoulder.  
“But no, I’ve got a serious mission for you. We got a location on the Falcon, and I’m sending you to go pick it up.” 

The thundering sound of stormtrooper boots echo in the hallways of the ship. PO-2187 however can only hear the sound of his heart ferociously thumping in his chest. For a brief moment, he truly thought his heart might explode out of his chest from fear. The electricity flowing through his veins is the same intensity it was in the Jakku village, when he watched Kira Ren stop the blaster bolt mid air. The destruction she caused, that the First Order caused, it gave him this feeling in his gut, it made his skin grow cold. 

This wasn’t right. 

So he makes a choice, one that he will most likely regret. But ultimately he thinks to himself ‘it’s the right thing to do.’ 

The courage carries him towards the interrogation sector of the ship, when he comes face to face with the Resistance Pilot they had in custody. 

“Look man, they were taking me to another cell but I got lost! You know a thing or two about getting lost right?” 

PO-2187 grabs the prisoner by the shoulders, and pulls him into a doorway, using it as a quick cover so that he can remove his helmet, revealing his face for the first time since he was a kid. 

“I’m here to rescue you. Do you know how to fly one of those TIE-Fighters?” PO asks. 

“Hold on hold on, did General Organa send you? Where did you get that get up?” 

“I’m a trooper, but I’m turning against the First Order, and I’m gonna get you out of here.” 

Finn takes a moment, and looks at this guy. As the wheels in his head start to turn, he tilts his head a bit and grins. “You need a pilot don’t you?” He asks 

PO sighs, and hangs his head. “Yeah… I need a pilot.” 

Finn clasps him on the shoulders, and cups the side of PO’s head in his hand and tilts his head up, forcing PO to look at him. “Hey, hey! Don’t worry about it. Were gonna get out of here pal.” 

The two of them sneak past the other groups of troopers patrolling the halls, and make it to the hanger deck. The excitement of finally getting out of this place has PO-2187 shaking with pure joy. 

“Do you know how to fly one of those things?” PO asks. 

“Yeah! Yeah yeah yeah… how hard can it be? Come on let’s do this.” 

The take off was anything but smooth. In the past however, Finn had done much worse. They zip past the fleet and almost make it out in one piece. Till General Tico catches the ship out of the corner of her eye. 

“Fire upon that spacecraft, and send out a squadron to assure they’re obliterated and turned into space dust.”

With that, the red fiery hue of blaster bolts fire, and the TIE fighter crashes in a blazing fire onto the surface of Jakku.


End file.
